Naz World

“I aspire to live consciously and gently and to express that ethos in my fashion choices; And so Naz came into being.” – Dalal Behbehani, Founder of Naz World.

“Naz World”. “Naz Girls”. I’m pretty sure that if you’re in the social fashion scene here in little ol’ Kuwait, these two terms have passed your ears recently. I’ve discovered Naz a few days before they discovered me.. Yes, that’s quite literally how it went. I was invited to participate in a panel discussion about sustainable businesses for the future; and precisely 3 days before my panel, I sat there in my favorite café wondering what should I wear for the discussion. I was wracking my brain left and right trying to remember my sustainable options that I have stored in my wardrobe because… well… a girl gotta represent, ya know?

And there it was: “Hello Zaina, we hear you were speaking at Kilmitain 3.0, we would love to sponsor your look for the evening if you’re interested.”

Saviors.

A Godsend.

Ugh. Miracles do happen.

I replied, quickly, excitedly, frantically… fan-girly… and just like that, I was at Naz Word HQ; in the closet of luxury rentals.

I met Dalal, the founder, and we immediately became BFFs. She walked me through the looks but the instant I walked in; I knew what I wanted. I see you, Erdem. I see you, floral bell of the ball.

I reached out to my match and told Dalal, “this is it.”

Dalal: “Oh, are you going to a party after the panel?”

Me: “No. I want to SHOW UP… you know?”

She smirks, I smirk. She gets it. We both nod. It was the moment that was about to launch a very beautiful friendship.

So, you could be asking yourself a lot of questions by now… well, as always, I come prepared. Here’s all that you need to know about Naz World.

1.Dalal,The Founder:Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Dalal Behbehani. A mother, daughter, wife, professional and an entrepreneur. After getting an MBA from INSEAD I worked in the finance sector, yet the best lessons I learned were in my parenthood journey. My three children have reaffirmed the importance of productivity and purposeful work that validates my personal story to create a positive impact. I strived for more authenticity that I could no longer find in a corporate job;My career was not in technology or in fashion, but I am fully aware how in every step of my life I have purposefully consumed clothing as a way to express myself, my aspirations and my femininity. I aspire to live consciously and gently and to express that ethos in my fashion choices; And so Naz came into being.Renting luxury is aligned with my desires as a consumer, and I ultimately hope to provide an alternative choice to consuming luxury with high standards for sustainability and social responsibility.

2.Why Rent?Renting is a healthy choice to satisfy our insatiable desire for newness. It offers a variety of options with flexibility and changing styles. It allows for the discovery of luxury fashion at accessible price points, and with little risks; “High Fashion, Low Risk”. Before, we had to try on an outfit in a 1 x 1 poorly lit changing room and decide within a few minutes if we are willing to invest a large portion of our monthly income on an outfit we will wear once or twice. Naz takes this a step further. We separate the trial from the investment decision. You can rent an outfit,enjoy itin an actual social setting, and if you decide it’s worth the investment, you pay the difference between the Retail price and

the rental price... and it’s yours! High priced classic items is where we see our members making that decision; for statement pieces, members are really enjoying the variety that comes with renting.

3.Where did the business idea come from?It›s a combination of personal and professional aspirations. I was always amazed by what fast fashion was able to offer consumers, and I used to enjoy showing off how I can mix and match high-street with high fashion. As I started learning about the impact of fast fashion on the environment and on humanity, I really changed my habits. Slowly, but surely. I started experimenting. I bought some inventory and participated in a pop-up. If I were to go by only the reactions during the three-day pop-up, I would have given up a long time ago. People were put off by the idea in the beginning. But funny enough, all those who were against renting, when an occasion, a trip or an event came up, they got in touch with Naz.... that›s when I knew that we were on the cusp of something really exciting. And So... I persevered.

4.Does this project have the environment’s wellbeing in mind?FRONT AND CENTER! a lot of our actions as consumers are not taken with the intent tocontribute to the climate crisisbut is rather driven by convenience, ease and accessible price points. Once we start realizing that our actions have an adverse impact, we have little option/choice to replace the accessibility and convenience that we have been used to. That’s why at Naz we always say that even if renting is not your thing, we hope that if you interact with Naz you walk away with more awareness and consume consciously. And no, you do not have to be 100% eco-friendly consumer. In fact, Naz is not in the business of resolving the manufacturing woes of the fashion system, but we are in the business of providing option and choice and to create a space for a more conscious consumer. If we all consume consciously, we can collectively contribute to a more sustainable future.

5. Have you found a market for this concept here in Kuwait:100%. Women are warming up to this concept. Our members LOVE the choice and option, our typical member is Smart and Confident and is enjoying a carefully curated collection for different events.

6.Difficulties:99%of it is difficulties... the normal woes of setting up businesses in Kuwait added to that the fact that entrepreneurial ventures are also inherently difficult and fraught with uncertainty. But we believe in what we are offering, we are reaffirmedwith every member and potential member we interact with.

7.What’s in the name “Naz”:a beautiful coquettish girl is described as Naz. She has the pride of knowing that she is loved no matter what. We believe we all deserve that. To be Loved, is to be Free.

8.Fears walking into the business:Where do I start? everything is scary. The most important thing is that you do not let the fear paralyze you. It should surge you into action. Work Hard, listen to your clients, trust your gut but also observe the data, follow your heart and no matter what happens; Keep at it. Persevere or Pivot, but always, always keep moving.

9.My Mantra when I go shopping:Consume Consciously.

11.Tips for Fashionista and influencers:oh god, I cannot disperse advice for a group of people who did an amazing job at disrupting conventional marketing. No doubt that Kuwaiti influencers have been on the forefront of the global changes. They created a full industry where they connect through their social platforms directly with consumers;

consumers not just of fashion but also of information. I have noticed that many influencers who are constantly creating content for their platforms one of their biggest paying point is the need to having different things to wear. Now they can come to us and we can give them great package deals. For their daily wear, Ramadan, evenings out and even for their trips. For the price of one outfit (which they will wear once, or at most twice) they can get 5-7 outfits. Once they use our services, we have found THEIR tips to us incredibly beneficial.